The start of NC State’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge game against Penn State couldn’t have gone much worse.

Five minutes in, head coach Kevin Keatts had already burned a time out. The Wolfpack had turned it over four times and missed all seven shots they’d taken. All of that added up to an 11-0 Penn State lead.

The turnaround began when Keatts went to his bench. Omer Yurtseven had a double-double with 11 rebounds and a team-high 19 points. Sam Hunt hit four of five from outside the three-point line for 14 points, helping to spark the Pack to an 85-78 win.

“The guys that came off the bench did a great job,” Keatts said. “When we got Sam into the game and Omer came in, we were able to get going.”

Yurtseven was six-of-seven from the field and hit three long-distance shots.

“Omer was tremendous,” Keatts said. “He stuck three three-pointers from the top of the key. Now I’m going to have to let him take that shot.”

Guard Lavar Batts also came off the bench to hit a pair of threes and dished out three assists in nine minutes. “He changed the game with his energy,” Keatts said.

On a night when starting guards Braxton Beverly and Markell Johnson combined to shoot 1-for-12, and Torin Dorn went 2-of-11, the contribution from the bench was a godsend.

“We got a lift from the bench,” Keatts said. “That’s what you want when your starters aren’t playing well.”

The Pack reserves erased the Penn State lead in nine minutes, and State built a seven-point lead at halftime. The five starters were never on the floor together again.

“We’re finding ways to win,” Keatts said. “That’s when you know you’re becoming a great team.”

Notes: The Pack only dressed nine players for the game. Keatts announced before the game that forward Darius Hicks suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in practice earlier this week. He will miss the rest of the season. Also, forward Abdul-Malik Abu missed the game with a sore right knee. Abu missed the start of the season recovering from a Grade 2 MCL sprain and was held out as a precaution. Keatts wasn’t sure if he’d dress for the Pack’s next game on Saturday.

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